Stop Defence cooperation with the genocidal regime in Ethiopia and leverage your government’s influence to defend human rights, democracy, and peace.
Date: 24/12/2023
To His Excellency Mr. Rishi Sunak, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Dear Prime Minister,
We, as concerned members of the Federation of Amhara Associations in Europe, write to express our profound dismay and distress over the recent defence agreement signed between the United Kingdom and the current genocidal regime in Ethiopia.
It is with heavy hearts that we witness the UK government’s decision to engage in military cooperation with the Abiy government, despite the harrowing atrocities and devastation inflicted by the ongoing conflict in Ethiopia.
The war between the Ethiopian regime and the TPLF has resulted in a humanitarian crisis of unprecedented magnitude, claiming an estimated six hundred thousand lives and causing widespread displacement and famine across the country. The impact of this prolonged conflict has reverberated throughout the Amhara region, with devastating consequences for its inhabitants.
The prospect of the UK aligning itself with a regime embroiled in such grievous human rights violations is deeply troubling and raises serious moral and ethical concerns. We fear that the intended military cooperation between the UK and the Abiy government will only serve to further exacerbate the existing tensions in the Horn of Africa, potentially leading to heightened regional instability and the escalation of violent conflicts.
Moreover, the intensified genocidal war waged by the Abiy government against the Amhara people, characterized by indiscriminate drone attacks on civilians, is a distressing reality that demands urgent attention and condemnation.
It is our fervent belief that the UK government, with its esteemed tradition of upholding human rights and promoting democratic values, should refrain from aligning itself with a regime that has demonstrated a blatant disregard for the welfare and rights of its own people. By extending military cooperation to the Abiy government, the UK risks complicity in the perpetuation of grave injustices and human suffering in Ethiopia.
We urge the UK government to reconsider its decision and to instead leverage its influence and diplomatic resources to advocate for peaceful and constructive resolutions to the crises in Ethiopia. By championing the principles of international law, human rights, and humanitarian intervention, the UK can play a pivotal role in fostering lasting peace, stability, and democracy n the region.
It is our sincere hope that the UK government will heed our concerns and take the necessary steps to uphold the fundamental values of democracy, human rights, and global solidarity.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Yours sincerely,,
Federation of Amhara Association in Europe
The Czech government’s collaboration with the genocidal regime in Ethiopia
December 14, 2023
Re: The Czech government’s collaboration with the genocidal regime in Ethiopia
Dear Mr Prime Minister,
We are members of the Ethiopian Amhara diaspora who live all over Europe. We are writing to you regarding the recent visits and high-level intergovernmental meetings that took place between Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed of Ethiopia and your government.
We have grave concerns over close ties between the Ethiopian regime and the Czech government due to the deep crisis engulfing Ethiopia engineered by Abiy Ahmed.
Ethiopia’s economy is tethering on the brink of collapse due to foreign currency shortages, inability to collect taxes due to wars waged by the regime against its own people, investors pulling out from the country, and rating agencies downgrading the country’s credit rating.
All these are the result of Abiy Ahmed and his regime’s Ethno-fascism policies and ideologies espousing Oromo extremism.
His regime’s abhorrent crimes over the past five years include:-
Perpetrating genocide Against Amhara civilians in various parts of the Oromo and Bnishangul regions,
Prosecuting an aimless war in Tigrai against, its once comrade-in-arms, TPLF (Tigrai People Liberation Front), at the cost of, an estimated, million-plus innocent lives
Embarking on a full-blown invasion of the Amhara region, an ethnic group with over 50 million people in size, where he has been targeting civilian sites, places of worship, and historical sites using heavy artillery and drone attacks
We strongly believe that at this point in time, it is immoral to forge any kind of agreement that can offer life support to a dying regime in order to sustain its survival in power. As dual citizens of European countries and Ethiopia and taxpayers in Europe, we oppose your government’s cooperation; especially any form of military assistance or cooperation with the Ethiopian government that can be channelled to fund its military campaign against its own people.
Supporting this dying regime will also risk the collapse of the government instead of an orderly transition of power as the regime’s days are numbered and change is inevitable. The unorderly collapse will ultimately create a humanitarian crisis not only among the 127 million Ethiopians but also among the 400 million people in the sub-region. This will unleash an unprecedented refugee crisis dwarfing the Syrian refugee crisis into Europe from the recent past.
Yours sincerely.
Federation of Amhara Association in Europe
Open letter to the President of the United Arab Emirates
Re : Open letter to the President of the United Arab Emirates
December 14,2023
Your Excellency Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan,
President of the United Arab Emirates and Prime Minister of Abu Dhabi,
We write to you with deep sadness and disappointment regarding the ongoing situation in Ethiopia. It has come to our attention that the UAE continues to be the primary supplier of weapons and drones to Prime Minister Abiy, who is utilizing them in a brutal war against Amhara people who are living in the Amhara and Oromia regions.
Previously, Abiy waged a devastating war in Tigray, resulting in the loss of countless innocent lives, including women, children, and the elderly. His army, equipped with drones, has been ruthlessly targeting civilians without discrimination. These attacks have included young shepherd boys, women, elderly men returning from church, and even individuals simply purchasing gas from petrol stations in the Amhara region. Similar drone attacks have also been carried out in Oromia, causing the deaths of numerous innocent Amhara
civilians.
Furthermore, The World Food Programme has declared that 9.4 million people across the Tigray, Afar, and Amhara regions need food assistance due to the impacts of conflict. While your government may be able to assist those who are severely hungry, We hope you’ll concur with us that the UAE shouldn’t give drones and ammunition to a regime that primarily uses them to kill defenseless civilians and stand on the wrong side of history with the Ethiopian people.
Your Excellency Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, as a responsible leader of the UAE and a friend to the Ethiopian people, we implore you to take a stand and cease the supply of arms that are being used to kill women, children, and the elderly. While Abiy and his generals bear the primary responsibility for these atrocities, we believe that your intervention can make a significant difference in protecting innocent lives and promoting peace in Ethiopia. I am confident your excellency will agree that it would not be prudent for you to have blood on your hands by continuing the supply of armaments to the dying regime of Abiy Ahmed and jeopardise the cordial relationship between the people of Ethiopia and that of the UAE.
We kindly request your urgent attention to this matter and hope that you will consider our plea for the sake of humanity and the well-being of the Ethiopian people.
Yours sincerely.
Federation of Amhara Association in Europe
Response to EU
December 12, 2023
Dear Madam / Sir,
Thank you very much for your reply and for all your effort to support the Ethiopian people throughout the country at this difficult time when they are facing arduous challenges.
We and our people value and appreciate your efforts in helping the most vulnerable societies, and your reassurance that you will continue to monitor the situation on the ground and act as necessary. Ethiopian people will never forget who stood at the right side of their history.
However, we have serious concerns regarding some of the member states of the European Union who are seeking to _forge relationships with the government of Ethiopia that we believe will compromise the position the EU is holding.
The Ethiopian Prime Minister Dr Aby Ahmed has visited Germany and has held high level meetings. He has also visited the Czech Republic and the Prime minister of the Czech Republic has been to Ethiopia to establish relationships and cooperation in the fields of military aircrafts. We strongly believe that any deals or cooperation that maybe reached between some EU member states and the government of Ethiopia to prop up the regime when the country is going through a turmoil the likes of which we have never seen before and help to sustain the military campaign of the government or its survival in power would inflict more suffering to the ordinary citizens.
We ask the European Union to urge its member states to adhere to the firm position and principles of the EU and avoid bypassing the efforts of the Union. We understand that Ethiopia is valuable to the EU and its member states but to consider any help that maybe given to the government of Ethiopia very carefully as the long term ally of the EU are the Ethiopian people, not the current government that is incapable of resolving conflicts and disputes by involving all stakeholders to find peaceful solutions all over the country, by doing so orchestrating its own downfall as the current position it holds is unsustainable. We also know that the Ethiopian government is facing critical shortages of hard currency and there is a threat that it may sell the country’s assets to fund its military campaign against its own people. We find it immoral for any EU firms to purchase any shares in national assets of Ethiopia at this time.
In anticipation of a positive response, we look forward to meeting you.
Yours sincerely.
Federation of Amhara Association in Europe